"We view this advocacy that we get from these two gentlemen as immensely positive for the industry", Acreage President George Allen said. "Public perception of cannabis has dramatically shifted, with 94 percent of Americans now in favor of some type of access, a shift driven by increased awareness of marijuana's many medical applications".

Possession and distribution of marijuana is a federal crime, but legal in some form in nine states and the District of Columbia. "I remain concerned that legalization will result in increased abuse of all varieties of drugs, including alcohol".

Weld said he's been in favor of medical marijuana since 1992 and supported the referendum that legalized recreational pot use in his home state in 2016.

Nixon said during an interview on Wendy Williams' nationally syndicated TV talk show that marijuana should be legalized to "capture some of that revenue" but she didn't mention race as a reason to legalize it.

Even so, his belief in the functionality of the plant has grown, he said, especially when it comes to easing the opioid crisis.

Weld, a former federal prosecutor, said the conventional wisdom about marijuana during the Reagan administration was that it acted as a "gateway drug" to more harmful substances.

"We need to look no further than our nation's 20 million veterans, 20 percent of whom, according to a 2017 American Legion survey, reportedly use cannabis to self-treat PTSD, chronic pain, and other ailments".

He also repeatedly voted against any liberalization laws, including the failed Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment in 2007 that would have given more protection for states with medical marijuana laws from being encroached upon by federal prosecutorial overreach. Plus he's been studying the problems of the US criminal justice system for years. "But that shouldn't be dictated by the nanny state in Washington".

Legalization advocates say it's only a matter of time before Congress is forced to reschedule marijuana at the federal level.

"When I saw the announcement, I nearly chuckled to myself", Boehner said, referring to the policy reversal. Lawmakers supporting legalization say the potential tax revenue stream is considerable since it's estimated that New Yorkers spend $3 billion a year on marijuana.

Boehner going to lobby for legalized weed is so ideal.

Acreage has operations in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon, Illinois, Massachusetts, California, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland.